The US Coast Guard has published its 2015 Annual Report on Port State Control.The report provides key statistics related to enforcement of international requirements with regard to foreign flag vessels calling in US ports.
Vessel Arrivals, Examinations, Detentions Increased
In 2015,
- a total of 8,925 individual vessels, from 81 different flag administrations, made 73,752 port calls to the United States
- The Coast Guard conducted 9,265 SOLAS safety exams and 8,655 ISPS exams on these vessels
- The total number of ships detained in 2015 for environmental protection and safety related deficiencies increased from 143 to 202
- The total number of ships detained in 2015 for security related deficiencies slightly increased from 10 to 11. An overview of the safety related detainable deficiencies issued in 2015 can be found on page twelve of this report
Flag Administration Safety Performance
Flag administration safety performance for 2015 decreased for the second straight year, with the overall annual detention rate increasing from 1.55% to 2.18%. The three-year rolling detention ratio also increased from 1.31% to 1.67%. The flag administrations of Egypt, Germany, Lithuania, and Mexico were all removed from our Targeted Flag List.
Flag administration security performance
Flag administration security performance for 2015 remained almost steady, with the annual Control Action Ratio (CAR) only increasing from 0.12% to 0.13%. The three-year rolling average CAR has remained almost steady as well going from 0.10% to 0.11%. Additionally, the flag administrations of Honduras and Tanzania were added to our targeted matrix.
Detention Appeals
In addition to receiving appeals contesting the overall merits of a detention, we also receive appeals requesting the removal of a party’s association to a detention. In 2015, Coast Guard Headquarters received a total of twenty detention appeals. Seven appeals were submitted challenging the overall merits of the detention. Of those seven appeals, three were granted, three were denied, and in one case where there were two detainable deficiencies in question, one was granted and the other was denied. For those parties appealing their association with a detention, thirteen were granted and one was denied. Generally, the detention appeals that were overturned had only a single deficiency resulting from the PSC exam. In these cases the deficiency didn’t show an overall substandard condition on the vessel.
- Safety-Related Detention: U.S. intervention on a foreign vessel when its operational condition or crew do not substantially meet applicable international conventions to ensure the vessel will not proceed to sea without presenting a danger to the vessel, its crew, the port, or cause harm to the marine environment.
- Annual Detention Ratio: The yearly sum of safety-related detentions divided by the yearly sum of port state control examinations, multiplied by one hundred.
- Three-Year Average Detention Ratio: The cumulative sum of safety related detentions from January 2013 through December 2015 divided by the cumulative sum of port state control examinations during those three years, multiplied by one hundred.
- ISPS Major Control Action: A control measure (e.g., detention, denial of entry, or expulsion) imposed by the U.S. upon a foreign vessel when clear grounds exist indicating that a ship is not in compliance with the requirements of SOLAS Chapter XI or part A of the ISPS Code.
- Annual ISPS Control Action Ratio (CAR): The yearly sum of ISPS major control actions divided by the yearly sum of ISPS compliance examinations, multiplied by one hundred.
- Average ISPS Control Action Ratio (CAR): The average of the Annual ISPS Control Action Ratio data from January 2013 to December 2015.
QUALSHIP 21 Program
The continued upward trend in detentions over last several years has started to have an effect on flag administration QualShip21 (QS21) eligibility. This year we had thirteen flag administrations drop their QS21 eligibility over 2015. Twelve were lost based on their three-year detention ratio exceeding 1.0% and one due to having fewer than ten distinct arrivals in 2015. The USCG welcomed the flag administration of Italy, Mexico, and the Philippines for becoming QS21 eligible in 2016. From time to time there have been calls to change the criteria for entry into QS21 program. As comprised, the strict enrollment criteria provides a major incentive to vessels calling on U.S. ports. Changes to diminish the criteria would not provide any additional incentives to increase quality standards in ships.
Further information may be found by reading the report below
Source & Image credit: USCG
